Survey shows support for $748 million Katy ISD bond

Share this:

More than half of 400 Katy-area residents surveyed on the school district’s proposed bond say they would vote in favor of the bond if the election were held today. Nearly a third oppose the bond, many citing the inclusion of a new football stadium as a major factor in their decision.

The bond committee presented the survey results to the school board Monday evening at Taylor High School. The board has yet to call a referendum on the proposed bond. It has until Aug. 18 to do so.

Nearly half of the requested $748 million would go toward new schools in the fast-growing district, including three elementary schools, two junior high schools, one high school and designs for three more new elementary schools. That portion of the bond received some of the strongest support in the survey results.

But the downsized stadium — similar to one that sunk the most recent bond — continued to be a sticking point. The new proposal would cut the stadium from 14,000 seats to 12,000, reducing the cost from $69 million to $58 million, including parking and a field house. Thirty-six percent of the respondents who opposed the bond said the stadium was a major issue.

One woman, 56, responded plainly, “If it’s including the stadium, then I’m not going to vote for it.”

Another woman, 59, replied, “They’re building too many fancy stadiums around here.” She added, “I think they need to just educate people.”

Other opponents cited the bond amount itself, district spending, tax rates and a lack of information. The proposal calls for a 1-cent tax rate increase, meaning a family with a home worth $200,000 would face a tax increase of roughly $20. But residents over 65 — those who are most likely to vote, according to the survey — would not be affected by any tax increases.

The survey was conducted in over four days in July. Roughly half of respondents were Katy ISD parents. The committee determined that the stadium was a major hurdle but said if the other elements of the bond were emphasized, there was still a chance the bond could pass.